Let's Play, Saudi Arabia!

This report analyzes the evolving Esports and gaming market in Saudi Arabia, highlighting its rapid growth, consumer engagement, and spending habits, while also comparing these trends to global benchmarks and previous findings from 2023. The primary objective is to provide strategic insights for future expansion within the Saudi Arabian Esports sector, aligning with the nation's Vision 2030 goals of economic diversification and innovation. The scope of the analysis focuses on Saudi Arabian consumers, with data collected in 2024 and comparisons made to 2022 and 2023 data, as well as global averages.

Key findings indicate a significant increase in Esports awareness and engagement in Saudi Arabia. Concept understanding rose by 25%, reach by 30%, the number of gamers by 53%, and loyal viewers by 85% between 2022 and 2024. Loyal viewers are also watching more frequently and for longer durations. The youth demographic, with 63% of the population under 30, is a major driver of this growth. Viewership is primarily influenced by featured players and game types, with YouTube Gaming (64%) and X (62%) being the most popular viewing channels. Saudi Arabian Esports viewers demonstrate higher ad engagement, with 76% finding advertising useful and informative (compared to 58% globally), and 18% considering brand advertising important when selecting content (compared to 13% globally).

Saudi consumers also exhibit a higher propensity to spend on Esports-related activities. For instance, 79% do not mind paying for paywalled content (compared to 67% globally), and 81% have purchased Esports merchandise in the past six months (compared to 71% globally). They also spend more on live events, tickets, travel, and food and beverage related to Esports. Gamers in Saudi Arabia spend more on average across various categories, including console games ($38 vs. $37 globally), essential gaming hardware ($37 vs. $36 globally), and adjacent products/peripherals ($35 vs. $34 globally). The methodology involved a survey of 1,000 participants in Saudi Arabia in 2024, with a demographic breakdown of gender, generation, and city population, and a global comparative survey of over 14,000 participants across 22 markets.